Why do we need a WEBSITE?
Why Your Business Needs a Website. Websites work If you said yes, it’s almost as if your business doesn’t exist. Websites are primarily to find information of your Business. You need to have a website for your customers. By having a website potentially thousands of people are going to see it. You are able to influence people’s decisions and educate them.
Placing your website address on all of your promotional material will help you gain additional exposure and encourage the visitors to first check your site for the information they are seeking. A website can act as your online brochure or catalog that can be changed or updated at anytime. You can have your existing customers refer you to their friends and relatives using only your web address or URL. Information requests can be processed immediately via online forms and auto-responders automatically day or night.
Modern websites are something of a multimedia affair. You can add a blog and perhaps include videos, audio, live chat, forums, RSS feeds and even podcasts. All these elements can attract customers and create interest. You can offer advice on your subject of expertise and communicate directly with potential customers, building a reputation as you go.
Prospective clients can find you
This is one of the most important reasons to have a business website. People are looking online for your services. When they search, will they find your business? If they can’t find you, they can’t hire you.
Prospective clients can learn more about you
People want to know more about the people they’re considering hiring. For B2B service professionals, this is especially important because even when you meet people in person, they will look you up online to learn more about you. When people search for you online, they should find a professional website that provides information about you and your business.
Consistent Brand Identity
Professional designers think about the big picture. They create a visual language for your brand that is consistent across different contexts. Your website, logo, business cards, and even your Twitter profile have to form a coherent whole. Brands that have a consistent visual language make a more memorable impression than those that look like five different side-businesses.
Generate leads
Once someone finds your site, make it easy for them to contact you. Prospective clients should be able to fill out a form, pick up the phone, find an email, or otherwise contact you easily so that you can follow up with them.
Market Expansion
The Internet has allowed businesses to break through the geographical barriers and become accessible, virtually, from any country in the world by a potential customer that has Internet access.
24 X 7, 365 days, always online
You can greatly reduce the cost of customer support by have a ticketing system, or even just an FAQ on your website. No more turning customers away when it’s time to close shop, putting up a note saying closed for public holiday , or leaving an irritating message on your answering service specifying your trading hours tell them to visit your website for information they are looking for.
Marketing your business online can be a challenge at first, but there are some great tools and resources to help you. There are so many that sometimes it can be overwhelming to know which ones to use. I’ve listed below the best internet marketing resources available, and I know this because they are the ones that I use myself!